Turf Topics

Free Lance, Volume IV, Issue 170, 3 October 1903, Page 24

Turf Topics

By St. Simon.

Orloff has been struck out of all engagements at the New Zealand Cup meeting. Glenaladale is having a rest, due to a slight injury to one of his fetiocks. For his owner's' sake, I trust the injury is but a small one. Porangi (formerly Jimmy the Saint) won his first race at Avondale under his new title. I could not imagine him winning under the old name. With the conclusion of the Wanganui meeting, interest will centre in che New Zealand Cup. Layers report little business so far, only a few particular ones being nibbled at. Strathavon, an Auckland representative in the New Zealand Cup, is said to be very much oil the "beefy side, and by no means in a forward enough state to inspire one vt ith confidence as to his chance. Onewa, the half-brother to Explosion, whom I expected to see account for the Maiden Plate at the Avondale meeting, was only prominent in the early stages. of the race, and 1 died right out for want of condition. A recent visitor to the West Coast, says that Herodm is a much improved horse, and expresses the opinion that he has a much better chance of annexing the New Zealand Cup than some people think. The Auckland favourite for the New Zealand Cup. Waariki, has gone on to Riccarton, where he will put in his winding-up gallops. As there are only six weeks in which to get into form, the colt will have to be bustled along. St. Olga is a great favourite with the public, therefore it was surprising to find her paying £5 for second place dividend in the Grandstand Handicap, at Avondale. She also got home in the final race of the meeting paying £2 10s. The Otago pair, Pampero and Canteen, are both doing well. Pampero, in particular, is a strong fancy in *hs South. The great trouble with him is as to his standing a Cup preparation, but if he gets through this he will be nearly favourite on the day of the race. An Auckland visitor to Wanganui recently informs "Phaeton," of the "New Zealand Herald " that the New Zealand Cup candidate, Shrapnel, is strung right up at the present time, and that The Workman's son will most likely be slipped at the Wanganui Jockey Club's meeting next month. A few days since the Sylvia Park mare, Silver Star, was sold in New Plymouth, for £42 10s, a sum well within her value, one would imagine, seeing that she is a young mare, and that she should improve. For a mare that ran second in a hack handicap at Wellington, in a field of twenty, as recently as July last, the price indeed seems absurdly low.

Messrs. Friedlander brothers sustained a loss by the death of the Stepmak mare Scylla last week. Twoomey, a well-known Southern jockey, died last week, from injuries receaved on the Tlmaru racecourse. I notice that Mr. Reids Gladsome is forming the second leg (the Stewards') to a big extent since heir recent performance at Ashburton. When Antigone and Bob Derrett are associated in any event, good generally results. They accounted for the Squatters' Handicap, at Geraldine on the opening day. Ringman is locally coming into favour for the New Zealand Cup, and, with his stable companion, Matuku, has been supported for the double to a pretty considerable amount. Early Van, by Vanguard, appears, on had Geraldine running, to be a useful sort. He accounted for the Hunters' Hurdles, and, later on in the day, won the Ladies' Bracelet from Reliance, paying the good dividend of £12 7s. Mr. Stead recently lost what would probably have proved a good stud mare in Gossamer, by Gipsy Grand — Cobweb. An accident to her knee necessitated her destruction. Thei loss was accentuated by the fact that 'she was m foal Lo Royal Artillery. Harry Goodman, the veteran trainer of Dunedm, has not had a streak of luck since Euroclydon's time. He is battling along with Sirius, but cannot catch the judge's eye. May his luck change at an early date 1 , for he is a grafter who deserves success. Chnstchurch files state that Taggart is pushing Master Alex, along in his preparation in view of the Wellington meeting. The colt is said to be very like his sister, Tsaritza, and if he can gallop as fast — well, produce your tote ticket the first race he starts in. For those who go "arpunting," I can recommend no better system than following a successful rider. Take Jenkins, for instance, with close on ninety winning mounts last season. I guess there was a slight profit over expenditure in his case. Give me Hewitt for the coming year's riding records. Mr. G. G. Stead was delighted with the hearty welcome accorded him by "other side" sportsmen, which was only equalled by the reception given Cruciform as she returned to the paddock. New Zealanders gave a Maori cry, and pocketted the twos to one on offer about the mare. Messrs. Wallace and Stead (the former the owner of Wakeful) did not have a shilling on the event. Monday night last was a busy one for Secretary Clark, of the Wellington Racing Club, when nominations weire received for the spring meeting, which takes place on the 21st and 23rd instant. Excellent entries were received for the various events. For the principal race, the Wellington Handicap, there were 28 nominations, and for the Pearce Handicap, on the second day, 34. The queen of the turf, Cruciform, is once again on her native heath, after a veny rough passage,, during which Trainer Mason and Rider Hewitt were laid low with sea sickness. Fortunately, Cruciform and her equine companions escaped without a scratch. Orloff will be treated! to a somewhat lengthened spell, but Cruciform will, if all goes well, be seen out at the Christchurch November meeting. The meeting of the daughter of St. Leger and the Ponrua champion, Achilles, in the weight-for-age events, will prove a big attraction.

At the Gisborne meeting, in February last, A. JB. N. and Roseplot were winners. Protests were entered against their getting the stakes, on the grounds tluu the owner, Mr. M. C. Rhodes, was at time of entry on the forfeit list. The protests v. ere dismissed, but the appeal judge has upheld the reading of rule 71, which provides that so long as a person is on the forfeit list no horse can be entered of v hioh he is the \i hole or part owner. On the concluding day of" the Australian Jockey Club's spring meeting, three horses who figured as winners belong to the Musket family. Fanfare, who won the principal handicap, is by Light Artillery ; Lord Cardigan, the winner of the Randwiok Plate, is out of Lady Trenton ; while Scots Guard, who scored in the Final Handicap, is by Scots Grey. The Carbine horse, Carabine, who won the Chester Cup last year, and > x\\ fourth this year, and who was recently purchased by Mr. W. Bass, the owiu r of Sceptre, with a view to winning the Viceroy's Cup in December next, has arrived safely in India. Carabine 13 looked upon as a strong opponent to the Australian horse Great Scot, who w« pui chased last April with a view to Jie gieat Indian event. Mr. G. G. Stead, on being interviewed, said he was well satisfied with his trip to Australia. Cruciform ran two great races, and had the worst of the luck in the Craven Plate, in which Ibex bea* her. All the same, Ibex ran a great race. In regard to Orloff. Mr. Stead stated it is doubtful if he will race again ; certainly not for several months. As to Australian horses generally, he sad the horses at Sydney as a rule lacked substance, many being narrow and weedy. He admired Famous, Belah, and Wakeful. The fact that the owners of Achilles having been wishful to have a trial with Ibex, Waikeful and Cruciform next month shows pretty plainly that the chestnut son of Medallion is in, capital form. The silence that surrounds his name in connection with the New Zealand Cup is therefore a little difficult to understand. Maybe, it has a right to be interpreted in the sense that there is some hesitation to apply the two-mile test to the chestnut, and that it is only in the event of the field being a weali one that Achilles will be started. The Geraldine Racing Club's meeting opened on Thursday last, but was 1 regarded by local layers with suspicion. One or two little arrangements had been made at previous meetings, of the club, and the "bookies" were not taking any. At least, they did not encourage business, and punters had to buy their chances. The Cup, the result of which was a foregone conclusion, was won by Lady Lillian, who started an odds-on favourite — dividend, £1 10s. The daughter of Lady Zetland is evidently going to emulate the deeds of her dam, and on New Zealand Cup day will probably start as hot a favourite as anything in the race.